JPH0722388B2 - Multipoint video conference system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

(Technical field to which the invention belongs) The present invention relates to a multipoint video conference system in which three or more video conference terminals are connected via a video conference control device and performed between the video conference terminals. (Prior Art) As a conventional multipoint video conference system, a multipoint video conference is configured by connecting video conference terminals installed at multiple points and a multipoint video conference controller. A method of comparing the audio signal levels and displaying the video signal at the point where the speaker is, or the video signal at the point desired by the receiving terminal

[1] and a method of displaying the reduced and synthesized video signals from each point

There is [2]. here,

[1] Japanese Patent Application No. 59-179408

[2] Japanese Patent Application No. 59-152797. In the former case, although the image of the desired point can be clearly seen, it is not possible to grasp the situation of the conference room in all the grounds at the same time. In the latter case, the situation of the entire conference can be grasped by the synthetic screen, but the desired screen is small and unclear. Also, when you want to see the screen of another point from the screen of a specific point, you need to switch to the composite screen once to find the switching destination, and a complicated switching procedure is necessary to see a clear image. There was a problem. (Object of the Invention) The present invention solves such a drawback of the conventional method, and at the same time, a clear image from each terminal is viewed, and at the same time, the status of the entire conference room at each point is displayed on the same screen. It aims to provide a multi-point video conference system that can be grasped on the screen. (Structure of the Invention) The present invention allows a user to view a clear image of a desired point and at the same time display a ground other than the desired screen on the same screen as a sub-screen in response to a request from a terminal, thereby meeting at each point. It is characterized by being able to grasp the situation of all rooms. The conventional technology is not to grasp the situation of the entire conference by switching between a clear image of a desired point and a screen in which each point is reduced and synthesized, but a clear image of the desired point and each point. The difference is that it is possible to display the reduced child screen on the same screen at the same time. (Embodiment) FIG. 1 is an embodiment showing a configuration of a video conference control device used in the present invention, and shows an example in which a video conference is held between four points. Where 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d are video signal input terminals from each video conference terminal, 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d are control signal input terminals from each video conference terminal, and 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are video signals. Memory, 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d are screen selection instruction circuits, 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d are video signal processing circuits, 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d are video signal output terminals to each video conference terminal, 7a, 7b , 7c and 7d are audio signal input terminals from each video conference terminal, 8 is a level comparison circuit, 9 is a voice control circuit, and 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d are audio signal output terminals to each video conference terminal. In this video conference control device, video signal input terminals 1a, 1
The video signals input to b, 1c, and 1d are stored in corresponding video memories 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d, respectively, and the phase of each output video signal is read by simultaneously performing the reading with the same clock. Match. These video signals are input to the video signal processing circuits 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d other than the output to be sent to their own terminals. (For example, the signal read from the video memory 3a is input to the video signal processing circuits 5b, 5c and 5d. The same is true for the other.) In the video signal processing circuit, the screen selection instruction circuits 4a, 4b, 4c and According to the instruction from 4d, the processing as described in FIG. 3 described later is performed, and the signal of the format requested by each video conference terminal is output from the video signal output terminals 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d. On the other hand, the audio signals input from the audio signal input terminals 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d are compared in level by the level comparison circuit 8 at regular time intervals, and the terminal transmitting the audio signal of the maximum level is detected. After being identified, the identification result is sent to the screen selection instruction circuit. In the screen selection instruction circuit, this identification result and control signal input terminals 2a, 2b, 2c and the ground designation signal included in the control signal from each terminal input from 2d, voice control switching instruction signal, and,
A screen selection instruction is sent to the video signal processing circuit based on the small screen request signal and the small screen stop signal. Further, the voice signal is added by the voice control circuit 9 with voices other than that of the own terminal and output from the voice signal output terminals 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the types of screen formats sent from the video conference control device to the video conference terminal when performing the video conference between the four points shown in FIG. 1, and 21 indicates the point a. A screen format having a main screen, 22 is a screen format having a point b as a main screen, and 23 is a screen format having a point c as a main screen. Here, an example of a screen format output from another point output from the video signal output terminal 6d is shown, which indicates that the screen is based on a video signal from each point in the alphabet. 21a, 22a and 23a represent screens when a screen is selected by a ground designation signal or when a speech point is automatically selected and a sub-screen is not requested, and 21b, 22b and 23b are corresponding sub-screens. Represents the case of requesting. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a video signal processing circuit 5d used in the present invention, and 30a, 30b and 30c are video memories 3a, 3 respectively.
Video signal input terminals from b and 3c, 31 is a switching circuit, 32
Reference numerals a and 32b are reduction circuits, 33 is a synthesis circuit, and 6d is a video signal output terminal. The video signal processing circuit 5d outputs any one of the screen formats shown in FIG. 2 based on the screen selection instruction from the screen selection instruction circuit 4d. When the point a is designated as the main screen by the result of the speaker identification operated by the ground designation signal from the terminal or the voice control switching instruction signal from the terminal, the switching circuit 31 inputs 30a of the point a on the main screen. Is directly sent to the synthesis circuit 33, and the input 30b at the point b and the input 30c at the point c of the small screen are connected to the reduction circuits 32a and 32b based on the small screen request signal from the terminal to reduce both the vertical and horizontal directions (for example, in the main screen). 1/3), and then send to the synthesis circuit. When the child screen is not instructed by the synthesizing circuit 33, the signal from the point a is output as it is, and when the child screen is instructed, the screen formats shown in FIG. 2 are combined and output as a video signal. The same applies when the main screen changes to point b or point c. In this way, even in a simple video conference terminal having only one video monitor, it is possible to see the screen of a desired clear point and at the same time, to see the situation of the whole point on the sub-screen, which is effective in many cases. Improved man-machine interface for point-to-point video conferencing. In the above description, the case where the number of conference points is 4 has been described, but the video signal processing can be performed by the same means even when the number of conference points is other than 4, and the method of the present invention is applied. it can. (Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, in a multipoint video conference, it is possible to grasp the situation of the entire conference at the same time when necessary, while viewing a desired screen. , It is possible to select the switching destination from the sub screen on the screen while looking at the screen of a specific point, and the advantage of improving the man-machine interface, and when grasping the situation of the whole conference, clear the desired point and image. It has the advantage of being visible in the image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an embodiment diagram showing a configuration of a video conference control device used in the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing types of screen formats sent to the video conference terminal shown in FIG. Three
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a video signal processing circuit which is a component of the video conference control device used in the present invention. 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d …… Video signal input terminal, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d …… Control signal input terminal, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d …… Video memory, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d …… Screen Selection instruction circuit, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d ... video signal processing circuit, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d ... video signal output terminal, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d ... audio signal input terminal, 8 ... level Comparison circuit, 9 ... Voice control circuit, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d ... Voice signal output terminal, 21 ... Screen format with point a as the main screen, 22 ... Screen format with point b as the main screen, 23 ... Screen format with point c as the main screen, 30a, 30b, 30c ... Input video signal, 31 ... Switching circuit, 32a, 32b ... Reduction circuit, 33 ... Combining circuit.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takahiko Hisaki, 1-356, Takeshi, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa, Japan, NTT Communications Corp. (56) Reference JP-A-57-208781 (JP, A) Japanese Patent Publication 51-22763 (JP, B1)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A multipoint system for simultaneously conducting a communication conference among three or more video conference terminals having a bidirectional communication function for video and audio connected to a video conference control device and a function for transmitting a control signal at an arbitrary time point. In an inter-video conference, the video conference control device stores video signals received from the video conference terminals in a video memory, and reads the stored video signals from the video memory all at once with the same clock; One of the video signals read from the memory is selected and used as the main screen without being reduced, and the screen of the video signals from the other video conference terminals is reduced and used as a sub-screen to be a part of the main screen. A means for transmitting a video signal obtained by synthesizing the child screen, a means for comparing the audio signals from the respective video conference terminals to identify the video conference terminal in which the speaker is present, When the control signal sent from the video conference terminal is the ground designation signal, the video signal received from the video conference terminal of the ground designated by the ground designation signal is the main screen, and the control signal is voice control switching. In the case of the instruction signal, a control means using the video signal received from the video conference terminal on the ground identified by the means for identifying the video conference terminal with the speaker as the main screen is provided. Point-to-point video conference system. 2. The video conference control device, when the control signal sent from the video conference terminal is a child screen request signal, sends a video signal obtained by combining the main screen and the child screen, The multipoint video conference system according to claim (1), further comprising means for transmitting a video signal of only the main screen when the signal is a child screen stop signal.